QUINCY — Quincy Community Action group members Kevin Maurer and Greg Richer presented information to community members regarding two bond proposals for Quincy Community Schools on Thursday night.

The community meeting was held at the Quincy Village Offices.

Over the last year, Quincy residents have been invited to several information-sessions to provide their input on what they think the school district needs. From these community-input sessions, the district composed two proposals which consist of safety, technology, additions and remodeling.

Proposal I seeks to partially remodel, furnish, refurbish, equip and re-equip QCS facilities; acquire, install and equip instructional technology for school facilities; erect, furnish and equip a locker room addition to the high school; purchase school buses; and develop and improve sites. It would cost $6.21 million; an increase of 1.45 mil.

Proposal II seeks to erect, furnish and equip addition and partially remodel QCS for an additional gym and fitness center; acquire, install and equip technology for the additions; and develop and improve sites at a cost of $2.31 million; an increase of .5 mil.

With the millage, for a $50,000 home in Quincy, the average tax increase would be $48 per year.

Technology is a major need for QCS. With bond Proposal I, the school will be able upgrade the current system.

"The switches and servers are not large enough to handle what we have now,” superintendent Craig Artist said.

Maurer agreed. “We need to run wiring to areas of the school that don't have technology at all. That's what happens with old buildings," he said.

Quincy resident Fred Avra showed concern about upgrading technology with the rate in which technology changes. "What are you going to do in a couple years when everything you bought is outdated?" he asked.

"About 40 percent of our computers have Windows XP and Microsoft is no longer supporting XP,” said Quincy High School principal David Spalding. “These kids will be at a disadvantage if we don't do something. We have to try and keep up with technology."

The buses currently used by the district are 12 to 15 years old. Bond Proposal I seeks to purchase 1-year-old buses at a cost of between $60,000 and $65,000.

"The life expectancy of school buses are seven to eight years,” said QCS business manager Cheryl Globke. “With the older buses that we have it costs about $4 per mile. With the newer buses we would get better mileage and save money that way as well as on the maintenance costs. We're currently spending a lot to maintain these old buses."

Proposal II seeks to upgrade the Physical Education department, another area of QCS that is need of change.

"We have to enlarge the girls locker room because they are not equal to the boys and they need to be,” Richer said. “The middle schools kids have to walk outside to go to the high school gym; that's a safety issue to me. The kids need somewhere to practice. Right now, kids are getting on a bus at 7 at night going to the recreation building in Coldwater and not getting home until 9 at night."

Page 2 of 2 - The few community members that attended the meeting showed great support for the need to remodel and upgrade the schools.

"Quincy is a great community, the schools are great, the teachers and administration are great too,” said Quincy resident Rick Coon. “If we invest in our schools, more people will come here; more people will move here.”

"When I see that we have 300 kids coming to Quincy from other districts, I think Why? It's because we're good but we have to keep up," said Maurer.

Voting for the proposals will be Tuesday, May 6. Quincy Community School District voters in Alagansee, Butler, California, Coldwater, Ovid, Quincy and Allen townships are eligible to vote. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.

More information on the Bond Proposals can be found by visiting www.quincycommunityschools.org, its Facebook page or by visiting www.mytaxcalc.com/quincy.